Pastor Maldonado says his Williams was "undriveable" during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix and is concerned his team has taken a step back this year.

Maldonado did not make the cut for the second session of qualifying and will start from 17th on the grid at the season-opener in Melbourne. Talking immediately after the session, he said he thinks Williams may be facing another situation like 2011, a season when it only scored five points all year.

"I think we're back to two years' ago with the conditions in the team," he said. "We need to work very hard to sort the problems; the car is undriveable at the moment and we need to work. That's it."

Maldonado thinks the car will be more competitive in race conditions but says the Williams is not suited to Albert Park in any conditions.

"The track is completely different, the conditions and everything. For any reason we didn't adapt our car to this track in whatever the conditions are. In the wet we were slow, in the dry as well, so we'll see. The pace for tomorrow seems to be much better but qualifying pace is really bad."